Moving out of your apartment can be a heart-rending experience. Bags packed with bare walls staring back, reminding you that time truly flies when you’re having fun. Your security deposit is the only silver lining you see around the corner. But wait, what is that on the drywall? Is that a hole you accidentally made that you later hid with a painting? Normal wear and tear is expected as time passes. However these apartment damages could affect your security deposit.
Everyone makes minor changes to their rented apartment or house. A picture on the wall, a study desk, wires clamped and hidden, a wall screw or nail; we know that it is impossible to avoid them. It gets challenging when you pack to go and find that the place looks different from what it used to be. Here’s a list of some common damages and DIY repairs without losing your security deposit.
Related: 4 Simple DIY Repairs You Can Do On Your Own
Nail holes on walls(most common apartment damage)
This is a common issue and can be fixed with an easy DIY. All you require is spackling paste, a putty knife, and some sandpaper. Use the putty knife to smear the spackle and spread and blend it in each hole. Sandpaper lightly once dry, and it could look like there was never a hole there before. You can also use toothpaste mixed with white glue to fill holes, but that’s not as effective (and your landlord might spot the apartment damage & DIY attempt.)
Large holes on dry wall
The large holes that you hid under your wall painting require some more effort to fix. So let’s be creative and save our security deposit with this DIY! You will need a mesh patch along with the spackle and some sandpaper. Cut the mesh patch to fit the hole and the surrounding wall and cover the piece with spackle. Sand it down after it dries. The whole thing will blend in. Hole? What hole? shhh…
Scruff marks: apartment damage or not?
Scruff marks may not cost you your security deposit, but they make the apartment look dirtier and give an untidy look. A magic eraser works well for those more prominent ones, and your walls get that fresh new look once again. A good tenant always restores the apartment to its former glory before moving out. As a good practice, we recommend you to do this 🙂
Carpets stains
It’s better to take care of the carpet stains before they set – you may know that well if you’ve ever spilled red wine around a ‘Monica-type-personality’. But if your carpet has old stains then you can try this DIY :
Baking soda + water
If the stains are deep you might have to consider renting a carpet cleaner from a local hardware store! Fixing this apartment damage is definitely cheaper than losing your security deposit!
Hardwood scratches
Hardwood floors are good to look at, but they easily scratch. You may want to rub a raw walnut along a thin scratch to blend it to the rest of the wooden floor. Some people swear by this walnut method to fix apartment damages of this nature. Let us know in the comments if you’ve tried this one! But a wood-colored marker from the hardware store should be able to fill in the deeper scratches. These are designed specifically for this purpose. Easy DIY, no?
Related: 5 Apartment Features You Have to Check Before Signing a Lease
Overall dirtiness: Apartment damage or not?
If you want your full deposit back, we suggest you deep clean the apartment. Yes, this sounds tedious but cleaning can be very therapeutic. Just put your jam on the speakers and get. it. done. We promise you’ll feel amazing about yourself after you’re done! Remember to pay extra attention to the kitchen and the bathrooms.
Photo documentation
Taking pictures is vital to getting your security deposit back. Take photos of everything that you could not fix. The documentation helps at a later defense in case the landlord deducts too much from your security. Pictures will then speak better than words when it comes to apartment damages.
D’you know what else Roomi does outside of helping its readers with apartment damages before moving out? With our ever-increasing lists of rooms and roommates across the world, we help you find your perfect match! Download the app here and hop on the easiest ride home, ever!
